The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-11-24

WILD PONIES OF TIE COAST.
PccuIIaritics of Hardy Pace OF Horses
Called '.t;ankers''-Thc CorraliiEg.

PccuIEaritics of IA Hardy Face of Horses
Called '.I;ankers''-Ehc CorraliiTS.
On the banks or sand bars that divide tie
Atlantic. ocean from Pamlico sound, North
Carolina. iu5t ilside the lighthouse that
,narl,e ont 10 the mariner dreaded cape
Lookout. there is To be found a hardy race or
1yo:lics known rs bankers Thee ponies
have lived there as long as tic tradition Cf
tie Oldest iuhaLitauG dates back. Entirely
surrounded By deep water # ell @cGsol:3
having 40 communication With tEn Inai':~
Iiatl. and Lc;u, barron If vegetation cave
e:anty growth Of seGgc grass AID Io'T shrubs,
tie banks have remained uninhGEitcd except
b. thee ponies, which seem 20 thrive and
n.nltiylv in a;1tc Of tie herdshiIs 10 which
tfcy arc exposed. How they first came
there, ca Of what origin, is conjecture, and
tradition merely hints the stOry Of violent
Storm with its attendant si.ipTTe"k ard loss
of al on L0ard, save q lot Of ponies from
some European port, which were cast uEon
tic sands. and surviving tic storm became
the proIcnitors Of tie race Of bankers low
so numerous
Having to rely on instinct alone these ami
mas are q subject Of study to Tie naturalist,
~ they arc = prey not only 10 the driving
sands but to tire storms of TIE cape, that
AID change with each recurring hurrican.
the topography of the country. Tho ponies,
choosing the protected side OF the sand hill
locks, BuIroy deep into the yielding sand
ard stamp out a protected stall, where they
take rcfu2c from the storm: and. while many
are destroyed, their number has increased
Now the stock is owned and yearly herded 10y
enterprisin9 owners, who brand with a regis
tered mark such old ones rs are driven into
the I..lis and tho colts of all, which instiuc-
lively follow their dams into the incOsure.
This cOrraling is the event Of the season,
and takes place carly i'll June. late in July
and early in September # each year. The
days selected are gala days, and the innab-
itan.S Of tic coast, and even visitors from he
interior of the STATE, gather to witness tho
sight, The hcro.ers, separating in squads,
take their position far up tie banks. and
gradually forming Icy concert a continuous
living fcncc-drawirC in It's line ard forcing
each stray pony before thcm-thcy approach
the lens with shouts and Wells that only
hank lcrtcr3 can produce. The excitement
is intense Gil occasional pony cscanos
through the surrounding, ami then the line
must DC at once strengthened by reserves for
fear Of n general stampede As the fright
cncd ponies draw near the st0ckadc they be
como confused AID seem to tread each other
down. until finally they are safe within tie
inclcsUre Now the expert hcrdcrs with
lassocs, accompanied By helpers shouting and
wildly crying select tic animals designated
by their owlcr.', soon bringing them into
subsection, and while the more refractory
yGuHg tiers have to he thrown IL order to be
branded, tie majority are held ard branded
with tie initial OF their respective dams.
This work Gone, tie older ponies are picked
out by spectators and individual purchasers,
and caught and pcrncd separately until they
nre sold, and, on flats or sail boats, broue ht
80 the mainland to be scattered over the state
for use on the farms and as saddle ponies for
the young folk.-Amcrican Agricultural.